Spatiotemporal Trends of Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Disease Burden in Children and Adolescents Aged 0-19 Years

Background/Aims: Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are chronic disorders characterized by dysregulated immune responses and are associated with substantial morbidity and disability. However, comprehensive assessments of the global burden of IMIDs among children and adolescents remain limited. This study aimed to assess the global, regional, and national spatiotemporal trends in the burden of major IMIDs among children and adolescents aged 0-19 years from 1990 to 2021.

Materials and Methods: Using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of 8 IMIDs among children and adolescents (aged 0-19 years) from 1990 to 2021 were analyzed. Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIR), prevalence rates (ASPR), mortality rates (ASMR), and DALYs rates (ASDR) with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for each disease. Joinpoint regression analysis was applied to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in the burden of IMIDs.

Results: In 2021, the global ASIR, ASPR, ASMR, and ASDR for total IMIDs in children and adolescent populations were 260.9 (95% UI: 229.12, 366.30), 5163.94 (95% UI: 3704.82, 7159.70), 0.68 (95% UI: 0.55, 0.82), and 315.33 (95% UI: 214.19, 465.65), respectively. From 1990 to 2021, globally, alopecia areata (AA) had the greatest ASIR, asthma showed the highest ASPR and ASDR, and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) displayed the highest ASMR. At the regional level, the Americas Region showed the highest ASPR and ASDR for asthma, while the European Region had the greatest ASMR for RHD. At the national level, Canada reported the highest ASIR for AA; Haiti and Puerto Rico exhibited the highest ASPR and ASDR for asthma, respectively; and Tokelau recorded the highest ASMR for RHD.

Conclusion: This study highlights substantial global, regional, and national disparities in the burden of IMIDs among children and adolescents. Targeted prevention and intervention strategies are needed. In developed regions, efforts should focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, early screening, and long-term disease management. In developing regions, improving access to basic healthcare services, nutritional support, and health education may help reduce the burden of IMIDs.

Cite this article as: Gao Y, Yin W, Hu X, Zhao C, Yang X, Wang P. Spatiotemporal trends of immunemediated inflammatory disease burden in children and adolescents aged 0-19 years. ArchRheumatol. Published online July 20, 2026. doi: 10.5152/ArchRheumatol.2026.25268.